Latch for automobile fender shrouds and the like



De.1,'1936. RG. MOORE 2,062,597

LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE FENDER SHROUDSVOR THE LIKE Filed July 14, v19:54

ATTORNEY pagina Dee. 1, 1314i36]" s 5 LATCH Fort AUTOMOBILE FENDI'JRl f `snnoUnsArm THE una -Raym ond G. Moore, Bridgeport, Conn., 'assigner to The Bassick Compannridgeport, Conn., a corporation `of Connecticut I Application July 14, 1934, semi No. '135,124

1 claim. (ci. 29e-110i The present invention relates to an improved latch for an automobile fender shroud, and has for an object to provide a latch which will securely hold the shroud against vibration and looseness, and whichmay be actuated with facility to both secure and release the shroud. 'A iurther objectl is to provide a latch which will Y exert both a lifting pressure to hold the shroud up against the fender and a lateral drawing pressure to pull the fender toward the' edge of the shroud, shroud in place, but providing a substantial reinforcing structure for the fender. Another object is to provide a latch in which resilient means 1l provided between the edge of the shroud and the edge of the fender will be employed to yieldably1 retain the latch in latched position, so that in the latch mechanism there will be no necessity for springs. Another object is to provide a latch which may be permanently secured to the shroud, and which will be entirely enclosed and free from projecting parts and narrow corners, to the end that the mechanism will be eiectually protected against the entrance of mud and dirt, and any mud or dirt that may collect upon the outside of the casing may be readily removed. With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, and this embodimentwill 30.be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be iinally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:-

Flg. 1 is a side elevation of the contiguous portions of the fender and shroud, provided with the latch according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, reduced, showing the entire fender and shroud.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the latch separated 4o from the shroud,

mounting plate lbroken away, the full lines showing the latching or projected position, and the dot-and-dash lines showing the released or retracted position. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a iront end view of the latch. Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing. Referring to the drawing, the latch, according thus not only tightly holding thev and with a portion of the to the exemplary illustrated embodiment of my invention, comprises a casing consistingv of a mounting plate II) and a cover yplate II having a right angularly bent forward wall I2'a`nd inclinedside walls I3 having outwardly ybent base 5 iianges I4, the wall"I2 being secured by lugs I5 formed thereon `and bent'into'sl'otted recesses I6 formed in the plate- I0. andthe basey anges I4' being lsecured by lugs I1 Aon the plate I0 bent over 'upon the flangesv I4v in notches I8 formed 10 in sai'd anges.' An" upwardly projecting pocket portion I9 is provided in the casing for receiving the bolt in the retracted position. and the mounting plate III ips-provided withthree ears 2IIior securing the casing to theshroud 2I.'thesebein8 l5v .preferably spot-welded' tol thefinnermsurface of I the shroud. Y g A hub comprising a relatively large diameterI portion 22, having a square h olej23v therein, and

a relatively smaller dlamete'rportion V24', having a circularhole 25 therein, Vis rotatably mounted inthe casing, the portion' 22 beingjournaled'in f f y a bearing aperture 26provided'in'an elongated indented portion 2110i the plate "III, 'and the portion 24v being journaled on a circular a'ngeV 2g *251i punched inwardly iromjthe plate I`I and engaged in the hole 25. The lportion 22 has` flats 29429 formed on its inner end upon which is mounted a cam 30, the cam having a correspondingly shaped openingl engaged upon the hub and 30' beingrigidly secured thereon by swedging overl the edges of the flatted portions. Theperiphery of the cam has a concentric high portion -32, a

concentric low portion 33 diametrically-,opposite to the portion 32, and a. gradually 'rising M y 3-5 tion 34 between the portions 33 `and32.

A curved arm 35 has one endpivotally cony; 3 nected at 36 to the cam 30 adjacent the endo! j the cam portion .32, this armv inthe operative,A position extending downwardly about `and `be 4,.r`

neath the hub portion 24. Its other endv is pivotally connected at 31 to the inner end of the latch bolt 38. The bolt is of angular form, its

inner portion, in the operative position, being f downwardly inclined, and its outer portion, which v45 hasa slight offset bend 39, being horizontally disposed and movable through an yelongated slot 40 in the flange I2 of the casing. A hook portion 4I isprovided at the end.

Upon the lower edge of the downwardly in- 5o n clined inner end portion oi the bolty there is formed a transversely extending portion 42 having an upwardly bent ear 43 disposed in spaced parallel relation to the bolt andy in alignment with the 30 and with its edge engaged by the 55 periphery of the cam, this ear and the bolt having transversely aligned circular holes 44 and 45 in which a slidable pivot bearing pin 46 is engaged. The end portions o1' this pin are flatted,

portions are re- -ly provided in the indented portion 21 of the plate The slot 50 is covered by ilange being preferably side by a slotted metal plate 58.`

As shown inFig. `2 the the opposite side from the latch` with a xed hook in mounting the shroud is liirst engaged in a slot 60, in the edge of the fender, ywhereupon the other end of the shroud is lifted up about the hook 59 as a fulcrum to bring the latch into relation with the fender slot 51. A hole 6I is provided in the shroud in line with the square hole 23 for insertion of a suitable operatingtooi.

The dot-and-dash lines, Fig. 3, indicate the in operative or retracted position of the latch bolt, the high portion y 43 and holding the pivot bearing pin 46 forwardly in the slots 49 and 50 and the end o1' the bolt being swung upwardly in the slot 4 I. In order to bringthe latch to operative position vthe cam is turned inrcounter-clockwise direction from the dot-and-dash line position. As long as the high concentric cam portion 32 remains in contact with the ear 43 the pivotpin remains xed and 4the bolt is swung downwardly about the pin -to horizontal position through the pulling action of thearm 35. Duringthis movement the bolt hook 4l entersk the fender slot 51 and presses the shroud cover plate-5|, spot weld-- 32 of the cam engaging the ear` upwardly as the bolt engages the end of the slot and continues its swinging movement. As the rising portion 34 of the cam engages the ear, the bolt is drawn inwardly, the hooked end 4I tightly drawing the fender toward the shroud and compressing the rubber facing 53.Y The line between the pivot 31 and the pivot 36 now being above the axis of the cam hub, the pressure of the compressed rubber facing 53 locks the parts in place, the pull of the pivot 36 upon the cam being in counter-clockwise direction. To disengage the catch the cam is turned in clockwise direction, the pressure being released as the pivot 36 passes over dead center. The bolt irst moves outwardly and then sw gs upwardly clear of the fender slot.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention. but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

,In a latch of the character described, a latch bolt, a pivotal mounting for said bolt about which it is adapted to swing, means slidably supporting said pivotal mounting whereby said bolt has longitudinal movement, a rotatable actuating member, a link pivotally connected between said actuating member and said bolt for imparting swinging movement to said bolt through rotation of said actuating member, and cam surfaces on pivotal mounting n portion, a high concentric portion, and a gradually rising portion between said low and high concentric portions, said bolt adapted to have swing- `ing movement only during relation of said concentric cam portions therewith and longitudinal movement during relation of said rising portion RAYMOND G. MOORE.

therewith. 

